Tuesday 22 May 2012

Flor


Today's WOTD is: "flor" = flower

In Spanish, the noun "flor" is a feminine noun of Latin origin which means flower. A diminutive form of the noun “flor” is “florecilla” or little flower.

A Spanish describing word/ adjective related to “flor” is “florido”/ “florida” and is used to mean colourful/ flowery/ full of flowers.

Some commonly used expressions containing the word "flor" or related words are:
  • A flor de agua (at water level or just below the surface of the water);
  • A flor de piel (sensitive);
  • A flor de tierra (at ground level or just below the ground);
  • De flor en flor (colloquially, from one man/ woman to another);
  • Echarle flores a alguien* (colloquially, to flatter/ to pay compliments to someone);
  • En flor (in bloom);
  • Flor de azahar (orange blossom);
  • Flor de lis (fleur-de-lis/ fleur-de-lys);
  • Flores de mayo (flowers of May – a month long festival in honour of the Virgin Mary);
  • Florecillas silvestres (little wild flowers);
  • La flor de la canela (something/ someone wonderful);
  • La flor de la vida (the prime of life);
  • La flor y nata (the cream/ la crème de la crème);
  • Ni flores (nothing at all);
  • Pascua de Flores (Easter Sunday);
  • Pascua Florida** (Easter Sunday);
  • Ser flor de un día (to be short-lived);
  • Un vestido*** de flores (a flowery dress)

*NB In Cuba it may be used to refer to cursing/ swearing/ using obscene language.
**NB The US state of Florida was named as such by the Spaniard Juan Ponce de León, who first sighted that land on Easter Sunday the 27th of March 1513.
***NB The expression is also valid for other garments, e.g.: “camisa”/ shirt.


Some examples of the use of the word "flor" are:
  • Las rocas se encuentran a flor de agua (rocks can be found just below the water surface);
  • Muchas raíces se encuentran a flor de tierra (many roots can be found at ground level/ barely buried);
  • Tengo los nervios a flor de piel (I am nervously sensitive/ my nerves are on edge);
  • Pedro continúa yendo de flor en flor (Pedro continues moving from one woman to the next);
  • Échales flores que a lo mejor te escuchan (flatter them, perhaps they will listen to you);
  • Los árboles están en flor, ha llegado la primavera (trees are blooming, spring is here);
  • La flor de azahar es muy apreciada por su aroma (the smell of orange blossom is much appreciated);
  • La flor de lis es símbolo de la Casa de Borbón (the fleur-de-lis is a symbol of the House Bourbon);
  • Flores de mayo es algo que se celebra de forma especial en Filipinas (Flores de Mayo/ May flowers are very famous in the Philippines);
  • En el bosque crecen florecillas silvestres (little wild flowers grow in the woods);
  • Eso es la flor de la canela (that is wonderful);
  • Estás en la flor de la vida (you are in the prime of your life);
  • Al estreno asisitió la flor y nata de los londinenses (the premier was attended by the crème de la crème of Londoners);
  • Yo, de eso, no sé ni flores (I know nothing about that);
  • Por Pascua de Flores vamos a Madrid (we go to Madrid at Easter);
  • Por Pascua Florida vamos a Madrid (we go to Madrid at Easter);
  • Eso es flor de un día (that will not last);
  • Esa blusa de flores es muy bonita (that flowery blouse is very nice);

Love-Spanish.com loves the word "flor" in the YouTube clip: Selena—Como la flor 

For more on the word "flor", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Flor

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word “flor” in the link to hear the word pronounced.

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3 comments:

Margaret M said...

Una flor de un jardin español...

Fiona said...

¿cuál es tu flor favorito? la mia es la rosa

Unknown said...

Fiona, creo que mi flor favorita es el clavel